even that much, it may be enough to bring before Geoxus. He would be pleased, wouldn’t he? If you help uncover his brother’s treason.”
Madoc gaped, momentarily shocked. The expression receded, slowly, into a small twitch of eagerness.
She had him.
But then he frowned. “You won’t tell Geoxus or Ignitus about what happened at the arena and all you want is a list of sick gladiators? What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” Ash said. “I swear on my mother.”
“Your mother.” Madoc’s eyes narrowed. “What does she think about you sneaking around behind the backs of gods?”
Ash’s hands spasmed on Madoc’s neck. She knew he felt her flinch, but she gave a small, dismissive shake of her head, as if his question hadn’t gouged her heart. “She doesn’t think anything of it. Stavos killed her.”
Understanding slid over his face. “I forgot. . . . I’m sorry.”
His sincerity stole her breath. Again. It was infuriating.
“I’ve missed something,” Madoc continued. “If your god is involved with the disappearance of your mother’s killer, shouldn’t you be happy?”
Ash’s small flash of victory turned against her. She fought not to gape at him; she fought not to rage about how Stavos deserved whatever fate Ignitus dealt him.
This wasn’t the purpose of her coercion. She needed Madoc to believe her, or at least feel sorry for her.
Ash swallowed her fury. She had to tip her head back to look up at Madoc, and she thought there might be a small spark in his eyes now, curiosity overriding his wariness.
“I’m not trying to save my mother’s killer,” Ash said. “I’m trying to make sure that my god isn’t breaking our holy laws. There’s been too much of that happening lately.”
Madoc stared at her for a long, silent moment. Finally, he sighed. “My sponsor.” He nodded toward a man at the edge of the terrace. “Lucius is the best trainer in Deimos. He has a records room that his trainees can use. I’m sure there are scrolls that list things like sick gladiators in there. Would that be enough?”
Ash nodded and dropped her arms off his shoulders. Madoc wavered, then cocked his head.
“Now?”
“Yes, now.” She waved at the people around them. “Lucius is here, isn’t he? So his villa is empty. When will we have another chance?”
Madoc’s face reddened. “Fine. We’ll need a carriage to get there, though.”
He pushed into the crowd. The girl he’d watched was still with the government official, but she was looking at Madoc; and the boy he’d been talking to stared as well. He waved at them both, a signal of stay put or don’t worry.
Ash didn’t let herself look for Tor, Taro, or Spark. They’d try to stop her.
But once she got Madoc alone, she knew she could get more out of him. Though he had beaten her in their fight, she wouldn’t fear him once they were out in the city, surrounded by candle flames and fireplaces. She would play up her fearful ruse, how she wanted to stop Ignitus from holy treachery. She would even ask Madoc if he was working against Ignitus for one of the other gods and try to place herself as an ally for him.
Madoc could be the gladiator who Ignitus feared.
Ash hurried after him.
Madoc made a quick path across the terrace. Ash’s eyes drifted beyond him—the Kulan guards were gone. Deiman guards stood at the main doors.
Would they let her pass, even with a Deiman champion?
They reached the entrance. Madoc started out into the hall, Ash just behind him.
A guard cut a hand over Ash’s chest. “No Kulans are to leave.”
Madoc drew back. A pause, and his face melted into a cocky smirk. “She’s with me,” he said, reaching up to twirl a lock of Ash’s hair around his finger.
Her mind went utterly blank. She couldn’t even play into the ruse.
The guard smiled slickly at Madoc. “Be quick about it.”
Before anyone else could protest, Madoc grabbed Ash’s hand and yanked her through the door. The moment they were in the hall, he dropped his hold on her, scraping his fingers on his thigh as though she’d burned him.
Her own hand sizzled and sparked. She fought the urge to wipe it off too.
“The stables are this way,” Madoc said and started walking to the right.
Ash’s eyes lifted. Madoc was the only other person in this towering hall. And they were going to the stables, to leave the palace.
She hadn’t connected that part of what they were doing. A childish wish blossomed inside her, to just run.